Washing-machine.



No. 70|,|87. Patented May 27, I902. W. C. FAWKES.

WASHING MACHINE.

(Application filed Jan. 26. 1901.) (No Model.)

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No. 70mm, Patented May 27, I902.

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WASHING m (Application med Jim. 26, 1901.

(No Model.)

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NiTnn STATES PATENT OFFICE.

WILBERT C. FAWVKES, OF SIOUX CITY, IOW'A.

WASHING-MACHINE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 701,187, dated-May 27, 1902.

Application filed January 26, 1901. Serial No. 44,887- N 1 1 681 T0 at whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, WILBERT C. FAW'KES, a citizen of the United States, residing at Sioux City, in the county of \Voodbury and State of Iowa, have invented new and useful Improvements in Washing-Machines, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to washing-machines, the object of the same being to provide novel means whereby an oscillating movement may be imparted to the rubber by a continuous rotary movement of the drive-shaft in one direction or the other.

A further object of the invention is to provide novel means whereby a vertical reciprocating movement may be imparted to the rubber in addition to its oscillatory movement.

A further object of the invention is to provide novel means for transmitting the movement of the drive-shaft to the shaft on which the rubber is mounted and for converting the rotary or rocking movement of said driveshaft into an oscillating movement of the rubber-shaft.

Other objects of my invention will hereinafter appear, and the novel features thereof will be set forth in the claims.

In the drawings forming a part of this specification, Figure 1 is a plan view of a washing-machine constructed in accordance with my invention. Fig. 2 is a sectional elevation of the same. Fig. 3 is a detail crosssectional view taken through the knob or enlargement on the end of the drive-shaft. Fig. 4 is a detail plan view of the rear end of the forked rod with the spherical knob on the drive-shaft removed. Fig. 5 is a detail perspective view showing the means of connection between the drive-shaft and the knob or enlargement thereon. Fig. 6 is a detail horizontal sectional view of the rubber and the trackway for reciprocating the same. Fig. 7 is a sectional view of the rubber and the shaft on which it is mounted. Fig. 8 is a detail perspective view of the trackway. Fig. 9 is a similar View of the operating bar or lever, and Fig. 10 is a perspective view of the socket in which said bar or lever is secured. 5

Like reference-numerals indicate like parts in the different views.

The tub 1 may be of any suitable form and construction, the same being provided with an open top or ledge 2, adapted to be closed by a pivoted lid 3. Secured to the upper surface of the top 2 at one side of the tub is a bracket 4, having a bearing 5 thereon for the drive-shaft 6 and having upwardly and inwardly extending arms 7. To the upper side of the lid or cover 3 is secured a bracket 8, having an opening 9 at the center of said lid, constituting a bearing for the rubber-shaft 10. The outer end of the plate or bracket 8 is formed with upwardly and outwardly extending arms 11,which are pivoted to the arms 7 by means of the pivots 12. In this Way the lid 3 is pivoted to the body of the tub 1 and is adapted to be drawn upwardly and thrown backward for the purpose of introducing the clothes into the tub or for removing the same therefrom. l

The drive-shaft 6 has secured to its outer end a socket-piece 13 for receiving an operating lever or bar 14, having a removable handie 15 thereon. The said socket-piece has a recess 16 in the bottom thereof and has an overhanging bracket 17 thereon,pr0vided with a slot or opening 18 in line with the recess 16. The web which connects the bracket 17 to the body of the socket-piece is provided with a slot or opening 19. The bar 14 is provided on one side near its lower end with a laterallyprojecting leaf-spring 20, which serves as a lock to prevent the accidental separation of a recess or pocket 21 in the side of said bar.

ever, the drive-shaft 6 is to be continuously rotated in one direction or the other, the handle 15 is secured in the recess 21. It may then serve as an ordinary crank-handle. The

inner end of the drive-shaft 6 has secured to it the spherical knob or ball 22, having an annular circumferential groove or channel 23 therein, which lies in a plane including the center of the spherical knob in which it is formed. The means of securing the ball or knob 22 to the inner end of the drive-shaft 6 consists of a segmental plate 24, having a boss or projection thereon, in which the end of the shaft 6 fits and is secured. The plate 24 is also provided on opposite sides of the boss 25 with elongated slots 26, through which the screws 27 for securing said plate to the knob 22 pass. The said screws 27 enter corresponding threaded openings in the knob 22, and when they are screwed down the plate 24, and consequently the drive-shaft 6, are secured to said knob. The said knob may,however, be adjusted on the end of the shaft 6 by loosening the screws 27 and turning the knob 22 in one direction or the other, so that said screws will move along in the elongated slots 26 in the plate 24. When the proper adj ustment has been obtained, the screws 27 are returned to their locking positions. The object of this adjustment of the spherical knob 22 on the drive-shaft 6 will appear later.

Embracing the spherical knob 22 are the branches of a yoke or fork 28 on the end of a rod or arm 29, which carries a segmental rack 30 at its opposite end. The fork 28 has mounted in the branches thereof and extending inwardly from said branches antifriction-roll ers 31, which fit within the groove or channel 23 in the ball or knob 22. The rod or arm 29 is pivoted to and supported by a frame 32, the pivots 33, which connect the said rod or arm 29 with said frame, extending into the branches of the fork 28 in line with the journals upon which the rollers 31 are mounted. Theframe 32 is located between the arms 11 and is pivoted to a bearing-plate 34, secured to the top 2 of the tub, so that it may turn in a horizontal plane. I have shown the pivotal connection between the frame 32 and the plate 34jas being eifected through a screw 35. Antifrictional ball-bearings 36 may also be provided between the frame 32 and said bearingplate. The rack 30 is adapted to engage a pinion 37 uponthe upper end of the rubber-shaft 10,which projects through the opening 9 in the plate or bracket 8, so that when the rod or arm 29 is vibrated an oscillatory or rocking back and-forth movement will be imparted to said rubber-shaft. To the lower end of the shaft 10 the rubber 38 is connected. The said rubber may be of any suitable or preferred form or construction; but, as shown, it consists of a disk having a concave bottom, with a series of rounded projections 39 extending downwardly therefrom. To the upper side of the rubber 38 is secured a sleeve 40, having vertically-disposed elongated slots 41 in opposite sides thereof and having a coil-spring 42 at its lower end. The rubber-shaft 10 fits down within the sleeve 40 and is connected thereto by means of a transversely-extending pin 43, which lies within the slots 41. The lower end of the shaft 10 engages the upper end of the spring 42, and said spring tends to hold the rubber 38 normally in its lowermost position, with the pin 43 at the upper ends of the slots 41. When an oscillating movement is imparted to the shaft 10, a corresponding movement will be imparted to the rubber 38 through the engagement of the pin 43 with the side walls of the slots 41. An upward yielding of the rubber 38 against the spring 42, however, is permissible to enable said rubber to move'freely over the clothes within the tub I.

In connection with the foregoing parts I provide means whereby a vertical reciprocating movement may be automatically imparted to the rubber 38 during the oscillatory movement thereof. To accomplish this, I secure to the under side of the lid 3 a trackway 44, having inclines 45 therein, and mount upon the sleeve 40 a laterally extending roller 46, adapted to move upon the track 44 and to ride up and down the inclines 45. The roller 46 is held in contact with the track 44 by means of the spring 42, which tends to urge the sleeve 40 downwardly, so that when the roller 46 reaches the inclines 45 and passes over the same it elevates the sleeve 40 and the rubber 38 connected therewith, whereas the spring 42 tends to lower or depress said sleeve 40 and rubber 38 as soon as the inclines 45 have been passed. It will thus be seen that during the oscillation of the shaft 10 and the rubber 38 a vertically-reciprocating movement will be automatically imparted thereto. To provide for the adjustment of the position of the roller 46 on the sleeve 40, according to the quantity of clothes in the tub, I mount said roller 46 in a lug 47 on a collar 48, surrounding the sleeve 40, and ad j ustably secured thereto by means of a setscrew 49.

In using my improved washing-machine the lid 3 is raised by turning the same upon its pivots 12. The tub I is then filled with water to the proper height and the clothes to be washed introduced therein. The lid 3, with the parts connected thereto, is then returned to its normal horizontal position, closing the opening in the top of the tub. Power is then applied to the drive-shaft 6 by grasping the lever 14 by its handle 15 and turning the same in one direction or the other or rocking it back and forth. The device will operate equally well if the shaft 6 be turned to the right or to the left. When the shaft 6 is rotated, a corresponding movement will be imparted to the spherical knob or ball 22 on the inner end thereof. This turning movement of the knob 22 will cause the engagement of the side walls of the channel or groove 23 therein with the rollers 31 on the forked end of the rod or arm 29 and cause said rod or arm to be vibrated back and forth in a horizontal plane. As the rod or arm 29 is vibrated the segmental rack 30 on the end thereof will engage the pinion 37 and cause an oscillating movement thereof.

cillating or rocking movement to be imparted to the shaft 10, on which the rubber 38 is mounted. The roller 46. is at the same time caused to traverse the track 44: and to ride over the inclines 45 thereon, thereby causing a vertical reciprocating movement to be im parted to the rubber 38 in addition to the os- This action of the rubber 38 will tend to agitate the water and the clothes therein and to completely remove the dirt from said clothes.

It will be observed that the groove or channel 23 in the spherical knob 22 lies in a plane at an angle to the drive-shaft 6, and it will also be observed that the greater the angle between the channel 23 and said shaft the greater will be the throw of the rod or arm 29, which carries the segmental rack 30. By adjusting the knob or enlargement 22, therefore, on the shaft 6 by the means heretofore described the length of throw of the rod or arm 29 may be regulated.

Having now described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. In a washing-machine, the combination with a rubber, a shaft on which the same is mounted, and a pinion on said shaft, of a drive-shaft having an enlargement on one end thereof provided with a circumferential groove orchannel, and an arm havingaforked end embracing said enlargement, having pro jections thereon lying within said groove and provided-with a rack adapted to engage said pinion, as and for the purpose set forth.

2. In a washing-machine, the combination with a rubber, a shaft on which the same is mounted and a pinion on said shaft, of a rotary drive-shaft having an enlargement on one end thereof provided with a circumferential groove or channel, rollers lying within said groove or channel on opposite sides there of, and an arm having a forked end in which said rollers are mounted and provided with a segmental rack adapted to engage said pinion, as and for the purpose set forth.

3. In a washing-machine, the combination with a rubber, a shaft on which the same is mounted and a pinion on said shaft, of a rotary drive-shaft having a spherical enlarge ment on the inner end thereof provided wit-h a circumferential groove or channel, rollers lying within said groove or channel on opposite sides thereof, a rod or arm having a forked end in which said rollers are mounted and provided with a segmental rack upon its free end adapted to engage said pinion, and a horizon tally-movable frame to which the forked end of said rod is pivoted, as and for the purpose set forth.

at. In a washing-machine, the combination with a rubber, a shaft on which the same is mounted and a pinion on said shaft, of a rotary drive-shaft having an enlargement on one end thereof provided with a circumferential groove or channel, means for adjusting the position of said enlargement on said drive shaft, rollers lying within said groove or channel, and an arm having a forked end in which said rollers are mounted and provided with a segmental rack adapted to engage said pinion, as and for the purpose set forth.

5. In a washing-machine, the combination with a rubber, a shaft on which the same is mounted and a pinion on said shaft, of a rotarydrive-shafthaving an enlargement on one end thereof provided with a circumferential groove or channel, a frame pivoted beneath said enlargement and capable of movement in a horizontal plane, the said frame having upwardly and outwardly extending arms there on embracing said enlargement, a rod having a fork on one end, the branches of which are pivoted to the arms of said frame and having a segmental rack on the opposite end adapted to engage said pinion, and rollers pivoted in the branches of said fork, extending inwardly therefrom, and lying within said groove or channel on opposite sides thereof, as and for the purpose set forth.

6. In a washing-machine, the combination with a longitudinally immovable rubbershaft, and means for actuating the same, of a rubber yieldingly mounted on said shaft, a stationary track having inclines thereon, and a projection on said rubber movable on said track, as and for the purpose set forth.

7. In a washingmachine, the combination with a rubber-shaft and means for actuating the same, of a rubber, a sleeve secured to said rubber and receiving said shaft, said sleeve being provided with elongated slots, a spring in said sleeve engaging the lower end of said shaft, a transverse pin extending through said shaft and slots, a stationary track having an irregular bearing-surface, and a laterally-projecting roller on said sleeve adapted to move upon said track.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand in presence of two subscribing witnesses.

WILBERT O. FAWKES.

IVitnesses:

C. W. TAYLOR, O. J. TAYLOR. 

